Counting down the days

So, a lot of us are counting down to the last couple of days until 2013 is over. I'm sure 2014 will be as much fun as 2013 if not better. Another year down and many more to come.

As for me, I'll be spending the last couple of 2013 days with my boyfriend with a small getaway. I wasn't able to take vacation this summer so this is very much needed.

To a happy and healthy New Year with whomever you spend it with. Cheers!

Express Heart Jacquard Tunic Sweater, Victoria's Secret The Daily Legging, UGG Classic Tall Boots, Express Cubic Zirconia Bow Necklace (similar here and here)

Love, 

LN

An Experienced Accident

I have to say that I think I'm a pretty safe driver, but never would I thought I would have gotten into an accident. It was scary and something I definitely learned from.

I got into a minor car accident recently and it has shaken me up quite a bit. I was being sandwiched and pushed to the curb on the road and eventually my tires were slashed and broken. It was my first time encountering this so everything was new. I was so glad that a police officer came by and offered to help. He called another 2 of his colleagues and they were able to help me change my tire (yes, I'm completely clueless about tire changing). I couldn't get any information on the car that pushed me to the curb but it did taught me to be more careful and if you can, try to glance and remember the license plate so you can report it. Another thing that crossed my mind was, I'm fairly lucky. I'm still alive and there's actually nice Samaritans in this world.

On a lighter note, NYC's weather has been wishy-washy but tights and dresses will never go out of style.

Forever 21 3/4 Lace Dress (similar here and here), Forever 21 v-neck sweater (similar here), Express Body Shaping Full Tights, Comfort Plus Janine Pointy Toe Pump, Boutique Necklace (loving this and this)

Love, 

LN

Shades of Grey

As Thanksgiving is inching closer, I have really been laid back. No stress about getting turkey or inviting relatives over because my aunts are planning the entire thing this year. It feels quite great to be so carefree, especially when I took the whole week off from work also.

I've been lounging around at home and doing absolutely nothing except watching some movies and knitting (it's actually quite relaxing and a great gift to give during Christmas!).

The weather in NYC is crazy. Going to be raining the next two days and then Thanksgiving day is going to be blistering cold, including Black Friday. So, the outfit below pretty much fits the mood. Btw, have you guys already planned out your Friday shopping strategies?

Loft 3/4 Sleeve Pima Cotton Cardigan (different print) // Express Graphic Tee - Diamonds // DailyLook Hot Hue Skinnies (similar here and here) // Comfort Plus Janine Pointy Toe Pump // Express Foiled Mixed Animal Print Infinity Scarf
Love,
LN

Burgundy and Brown

I find myself reaching for sweater-dresses as the weather gets colder. It's an easy piece to put together while feeling warm and feminine. I'm also glad that H&M decided to add a couple of more different sweater-dresses to their collection, inexpensive and stylish.

H&M Turtleneck Sweater // Loft Textured Herringbone Ribbed Tights // Bandolino Calliope Riding Boot // Express Braided Belt (similar here and here)

Love,

LN

What is Ebates?

I know that the holiday seasons are just around the corner and what do we all do around this time? Shop.

So, I'd like to share my thoughts about savings to maximize your satisfaction with shopping.

I was first introduced to Ebates a couple of years ago but it wasn't until recently that I use it every time I do online shopping. Ebates is a program which gives you a certain percent cash back when you shop through their website. It's really easy to use and also really beneficial when you do a lot of shopping. It's no gimmick, you do get cash back, either direct debit or a check.

It's quite simple, you can register through here (I do get a bit of incentive if you register through the link) or here (if you don't want to use the previous link I provided for any personal reasons). Once you're registered and set up your account, you're ready to shop.

Always remember to log into your account before clicking on anything on the website.

Once you're logged in, you can view your account and how much you already got back on the upper right hand side. On the left side would be all the retailers you can shop at which gives you cash back, click on the drop down to see more. Not all brands/retailers/websites are listed here but it doesn't hurt to always check before you continue on with your shopping.

Once you found where you want to shop at, just click on it and Ebates will automatically generate a tracking ticket which it will use as proof that you had complete the purchase to give you the cash back. You can also use that tracking ticket number to contact customer service about any issues you had.

Here are some examples/scenarios that might be helpful --
(a) I want to buy an item from a big department store like Macy's, Neiman Marcus, or JCPenny (just to name a few). But the cash back on one of the stores is higher than the others but they all carry the item that I want. So here, the best bet is to purchase from the seller that gives the most cash back to maximize my cash received.
(b) I want to buy an item I found at this website because I was browsing through it, but when logged into Ebates found out that they did not participate with Ebates.com therefore I tried to search for another website which did partner up with Ebates to get the cash back (although this sometimes doesn't work because the item you want is only exclusively at that specific website).

Ebates is a great way to get some money back while shopping and it doesn't make you feel too guilty when you're buying in a big bulk because the percent cash back is taken from the total, so technically the more you shop the more you get back. Plus, with the Family and Friend sales going on now, it's a great time to sign up for Ebates.

Love,
LN

I am not affiliated or sponsored with/by Ebates.com, this entry is just my personal opinion and in hope to help my readers.

Review: J.Crew Majesty Peacoat

Finding the right outerwear to perfectly fit a person's body is utterly the most difficult task ever, especially when that someone is yourself. I'm missing a peacoat in my closet and it's a staple piece that wouldn't go out of style each winter. So, I was perfectly fine investing in a peacoat that would fit me well and is also made of fine good material.

I was browsing through J.Crew and saw so many nice coats on their website. Although on the pricier side, there was a 25% off code floating around during that time which made it less painful. I was looking at this, this and this but find it wasn't practical and I needed to focus on the peacoat.

That's when I found the Majesty Peacoat from them. On the model, it was the perfect cut. It even came in petite, regular and tall. I went in-store to get a fit on the coat but unfortunately they didn't have the color I wanted. The salesperson was nice enough to help me order it through the phone. If you order/purchase anything at or through the store, you get a 15% off student discount (with a valid ID card). I jumped at that opportunity and ordered the size and color I wanted.

The shipping was quick, I was so excited when I received it in the mail.

The coat was nicely folded along with a hanger attached.

I had purchased the Majesty Peacoat in a size 4, heather charcoal (for reference, I am 5'4" and weigh about 120 pounds). When I tried it on, everything seemed to be a bit off. That wasn't the case in person when I tried on the same size but in the color navy. The sleeves are longer and the waist felt a lot wider with the heather charcoal.

To say the least, it wasn't flattering at all. It made me felt bulky and short. The reason might be because I had ordered it in regular instead of petite. But I really doubt the waist would be any narrower if I ordered it in petite. And I couldn't find any good reason to keep the coat and have it tailored. The material was really sturdy and can most likely keep you warm in weathers around 30-40°F since it's made of Italian wool.

Needless to say, I returned the coat because it wasn't exactly what I had in mind and wanted. At least I learned about the student discount.

Other peacoats to consider:

MICHAEL Michael Kors Outerwear · Marc by Marc Jacobs Wool Coats · Calvin Klein Wool Coats

Love,
LN

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale - 40% Off

Nordstrom is having their half-yearly sale for women and kids (up to 40% off) which is not a bad deal at all. Here are some on my list to consider:

1 // 2 // 3

1 // 2 // 3

1 // 2 // 3

Love,
LN

Deep Dulls for Colder Days

The weather has been pretty crazy lately. Extremely warm and beautiful one day, blistering cold winds the other. I'm still a bit sick and this bipolar weather really isn't helping much.

JDL and I decided to take it easy this past Saturday. We were going to run some errands in the city and relax at the same time. Yea, I know it's quite hard to do that especially when you're surrounded by busy New Yorkers.

Top: Express

Skirt: Loft

Shoes: Payless (similar here and here)

Necklace: Express

Tights: Uniqlo

While we were mellowing it out Saturday, Friday was fun also. We got to try this new wine bar near his workplace. It was cute and we love the vibe. Vitis La Vineria was ran by 2 ladies and they sure made it work. It wasn't too busy or crowded which is a plus. JDL and I had 3 glasses each which included a glass of champagne on-the-house, so bubbly!

After that, we grabbed a late night bite at Yakiniku West. Love me some barbeque even though I reek of fumes and smoke afterwards. Might I add, it was a bit tough getting in and out of my seat since it's the Japanese "sink-hole" seats. You have to remove your shoes at the door, which then the waiter leads you to the dining area with cushions on the floor. Very comfortable.

Trenches I've been starting to fancy, it would be a nice time now to start looking for one when Spring comes.

J.Crew Raincoats & Trenchcoats · Burberry Raincoats & Trenchcoats · Gap Petite Outerwear

Love,
LN

Halloween Hearts

Happy Halloween!

Although I find myself not exactly in the spirit every year. Well, not to mention I'm feeling uber sick the past day or so. I'm not the kind that dresses up and goes to parties and whatnot just because I don't think I'll be able to handle the scare. I don't think I can ever do those haunted houses or haunted mazes in the amusement parks.

But I do enjoy watching horror movies, just not by myself. To me, Halloween would to be lounging at home comfortably and enjoying a marathon of Nightmare on Elm Street with a bowl of popcorn while hoping kids/adults would occasionally ring my doorbell for some treats. That's my Halloween.

Top: Forever21

Pants: Express (similar here)

Shoes: Payless (similar here, here, and here)

Necklace: Boutique Shop (similar here and here)

Belt: Express

So, instead of some creepy and dark outfit (although you can choose to think that I chose red because of blood). I chose a cheerful and bright top for work today. The infamous red hearts that were so popular a couple of months ago is slowly creeping back since the weather is getter a lot colder and a nice long sleeve button down shirt will always do the trick for a work outfit. I like to wear things out of the norm; like, I would not wear this on Valentine's Day.

Besides feeling miserably sick with my stuffy nose, I've actually been really active with coat shopping. Being sick is starting to be a bad sign, in a financial way.

I rarely see anything festive in midtown NYC but yesterday I saw these pumpkin patches on the busy streets of Herald Square. How cute! I also spotted the bat-mobile, convertible version, but was unable to take a photo since almost everyone was hovering around it. Maybe next time.

Love,
LN

New Blog Layout

I have been thinking of changing the layout of my blog for the longest time. I don't understand the html and css coding to an extent that I can make my own layout but I do know the basics, like alignments, fonts, sizes and linking webpages and images. Plus, a lot of these can be searched on the internet if you have the time and effort. But creating a whole new layout for a blog would be too time consuming.

I really didn't know where to look for blogger templates but then I gave Etsy a shot since they basically have everything on that website. I totally hit the jackpot!

There were so many different layouts to choose from and you can even have the creator help you through private messaging them. I purchased mine from Pixelzine, this layout is called Strawberry Cheesecake. I instantly got drawn to the simplicity and hint of light pink. I messaged Andreea (the owner of the shop) and she was quite fast with answering my questions. I was confident in her help therefore I knew she would be a good seller to choose to do business with.
 

The process was simple. Once I purchased the item, there was a link for me to instantly download the whole file. Within the zip file, you basically have everything you need along with a document telling you how to install the new template.

There are many other templates by other authors/owners on Etsy you can choose from. This is definitely one of the easy way out to changing a blog layout.

Love,
LN

Loft 50% off everything - today only 10/23/13

I have to say, I am a fan of Loft. Their pieces are simple, classic, and work appropriate. They're currently having half off of everything, in store. I'm contemplating if I should go or just pass and save up for something a lot grander.

Nonetheless, here are some pieces that I do like from them which are also season fitting.

Stripe Compact Knit Elastic Waist Skirt // Zip Pocket Plaid Skirt // Tall Lace Overlay Ponte Pencil Skirt

Chunky Knit Open Cardigan // Petite Jeweled Collar Cotton Sweatshirt // Petite Beaded Bouquet Neck Sweater

Striped Terry Blazer // Cotton Canvas Utility Jacket

They also have 30% off of full-priced sweaters, not sure if they're willing to combine that with the 50% off though.

Love,
LN

For More or For Less: Rose Gold Watch

I've been wanting a watch for the longest time but have not yet been able to settle for one. The price definitely plays a role but there's also so many different types of style. I always wanted a rectangular watch but these round watches are starting to make an impression on me.

Below is a kind that I was thinking of getting. Should I get the more expensive one as an investment or stick with an inexpensive one so I can get more watches and swatch it out here and there?

 

For More (left): Michael Kors $275

For Less (right): Titanium $22 

Love,

LN

iPhone Stand from Etsy

Remember I talked about mindless spending? Well, I did purchase this stand recently, but I wouldn't really consider it mindless. It's actually quite useful.

My iPhone has those privacy screen protector which means you can't see the screen from any angle unless you're staring at it straight on. Which means, whenever I'm at work I can't tell if someone text, message, or calls me. I have my phone on vibrate and so does my coworker which sits literally right near me, so we always look at our phones when we hear a buzz. It would make more sense to invest in a phone stand so I can just see the screen whenever I hear a buzz.

I was contemplating on where to purchase a phone stand because I want it to be sturdy and looking pretty at the same time. I turned to Etsy since that's where I also got my phone case. They have really great selections on Etsy and a lot of their items are handmade.

I landed upon Hannah's Ideas in Wood shop and instantly fell in love with the items. Majority of the items are made of wood and it looked so chic and sophisticated. There were other lovely things such as iPad stands, vases, pens, combs, and even key holders. But all I need was the iPhone stand so I quickly placed that order before I mindlessly start adding other things from Etsy into my shopping cart.

The package came within a week which wasn't bad at all. The packaging was really pretty though, it took me 3 days to open it because I just couldn't undo the bow (I know, pretty lame). The stand is pretty light and I love how you can just combine the pieces together. It's also cable friendly which means you can charge your phone while it sits on the stand, really nice feature. I figured since I can take them apart, I would just put them in my bag and carry it around, in which I would rather not keep it at work.

I have to say, this was one of the better purchases I've made in a while. I've got compliments already.

Love,
LN

I am not affiliated with or sponsored by Hannah's Ideas in Wood; the item was bought on my own and my opinions are honest.

Coming back

I've definitely been slacking off. I guess I just couldn't find the motivation to blog anymore hence the lack of posts. But it doesn't mean that I'm not active, I've been reading other blogs and commenting. Which then made me realized that I do want to blog again, but the topic is usually - what to blog about. I've been spending mindlessly these past 3 months which means a lot of random useless things, but there are great finds that I did get. Definitely put that together in a post.

I've been reading and following a lot of fashion blogs lately on bloglovin (follow me!) and it inspired me a bit to start keeping my own LookBook but I need a photographer, or a tri-pod and finding a photographer would be a lot cheaper for me...haha. Also, I am updating my Food Blog on a regular basis (more regular than this blog - sorry!).

So, the past few months has been swell. I went sky-diving for the first time and it was incredible. Also got my driver's license on the first try, woohoo! Attended my first Electronic Dance Event, boy it was insane! Did a NYC scavenger hunt, which was crazy because it was hot that day. My summer was a bit exciting even though I didn't exactly go anywhere on vacation (I had classes in July and August!).

A little update to ease myself back into the blogosphere!

Philadelphia - within a year and we're back :: Day 2&3 of 3

Day 2 in Philly included a lot of walking. The weather started to get a lot better the second day we were there so we took this opportunity to explore the area a bit.

Susan, J and I grabbed brunch first. We got a bit lost since the road in actuality wasn't the same as the maps we were using. Eventually we got there, Cafe Lift was on a deserted block which was weird because inside was so lively.

The food here was amazing, and so was the coffee - might I add it's refillable coffee. The Chicken Crespelle was the best out of all we ordered, the truffle oil along with the chicken and mushroom was so bomb. Susan had Jen's Crespelle which was a regular crepe with egg, sausage, cheese and was given syrup to finish it up with. I had the Prosciutto Panini, wasn't in a mood for something breakfast-y but wanted something light, like a sandwich. Nevertheless, it was still a really good meal.

After such an awesome meal, we really need to walk it off. Even though it didn't seem like much, we felt uber fat, especially from what we had the day before.

Since we weren't able to go to Mutter Museum the previously day, we were determined to go today. It was a far walk but it was such a beautiful day out and we really needed the exercise.

As we walked, we stopped by some places and took random photos.

Especially some silly photos. We were at a square that had these ginormous pieces of board games, remember sorry? chess? monopoly? yea, those pieces.

My poser! He didn't even realize I took a photo...haha skills!

But seriously, the streets were quite empty and clean. I barely see any garbage cans in the streets. Finding one was like finding Waldo, and when I finally found one the can is full to the brim...talk about luck.

We finally go to the Mutter Museum and spent a good 2-3 hours there. None of us thought we actually took that long because the museum was small, 2 floors. But, it was packed with information that was bizarre and had different oddities. It's definitely not for people with a weak stomach because some of the exhibits were really graphic. It was a good educational portion of this trip.

The next thing we knew, it was time for dinner! But we needed to kill some time first and ended up at a speakeasy, The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.

Really dim and laid back, but there was something missing from here that I couldn't get my hands on. It was different than New York's speakeasies, maybe I just prefer NYC more.

After a drink here, we took another walk to get to our dinner spot which had us meet up with Samantha and her cousin.

Acting silly while waiting for my food. We ended up at a wine bar which I wasn't that fond of, Vintage Wine Bar.

Susan got a latte, she said it was really good. She's a crazy coffee addict so I'll take her word for it since she's such a pro.

The food wasn't so crazy. I didn't participate in the cheese platter since I'm not a fond of cheese at all. Escargot was quite good, really like how it's still in its shell. Both entrees were so great, Grilled Steak was bland and the Linguine Carbonara lacked flavor.

J and I ended up back at the hotel after this and enjoyed some more wine. We were exhausted after so much walking.

---

We started the next day a bit slower since it was our last day. Samantha and her cousin decide to take us all to Sabrina's Cafe, another well-known brunch spot in Philly. Out of the 3 days we were there, the 3rd day was the hottest. Walking in the sun was torture.

Even though they made reservations, we still had to wait a good 30-45 minutes for a table.

J and I were the only ones that got our coffee in a stein, interesting. The choices on the menu didn't appeal to me much. I end up getting the Egg White Omelette with artichoke and mushrooms, J had the Huevos Rancheros which did not appeal to me at all. The plates were huge but I didn't think the food actually delivered. It was just meh to me.

Philly this time around was different and interesting. There will be another trip very soon to Philly again. We really need to jump this time!

Philadelphia - within a year and we're back :: Day 1 of 3

My boyfriend, 2 other friends and I were actually planning to go Philly to skydive. We already had our tickets and even reserve a time to jump. But somehow it poured on the day of our jump and we had to reschedule it. Meaning, there will be another Philly trip sometime very soon.

This is actually the second time I visited Philly with my boyfriend, J. Our other friends, Susan and Samantha, not too sure about their standings on Philly. J and I knew there were some places we had to visit again, and when I say places, I basically mean food.

When we knew our jump was cancelled, we had to turn our car around and head back to Center City Philly. From there, we explored the Reading Terminal. Basically a market which comprise of food, produce, souvenirs and a lot more food!

Our first was the memorable Gator Gumbo. It was a lot spicier this time around, I had J finish it since the gumbo was started to burn. The gator sausage was really good, went extremely well with this dijon mustard they gave us.

And if that wasn't a good enough breakfast, we also got a Roast Pork Sandwich from DiNics. So insanely good, I love the broccoli rabe with the sharp provolone cheese. I never like cheese, but I'm slowly getting converted because of these great pairings.

So, walking around Reading Terminal J and I saw these mouthwatering donuts. It was also National Donut Day when we were there, it was very tempting but we had other donut plans for the day.

After much walking and pretty much satisfied our tummy for the meantime. We left and decided to go to a museum. Not just any museum, but the Mutter Museum. The museum where the most abnormal and oddest anatomy were to happen, graphic and utterly long descriptions. Very educational and also very gruesome, not for the faint of heart so beware. Unfortunately, it was closed on that Friday. Like literally everything was not going our way.

Instead, we drove around. J and I sort of gave Susan a little tour of Philly. Samantha met up with her cousin in which she missed out on the next few things.

Federal Donuts was what I was waiting for. Read up on it on another fellow food blogger and knew it was a must visit. Besides the donuts they also have fried chicken which I failed to take a picture of because I was too busy eating it that night.
The donuts were amazing. Soft and pillowing, tasted almost like a cake. I could probably finish all 3 if I didn't have to share it with J and Susan.

Susan was complaining how we're fattening her up. She's one of a lot of friends of ours that don't understand how we can stay so slim and yet eat so much. I'm sure she's jelly jelly. (Hi Susan, if you're reading this *waves*)

We also took some silly and normal photos while waiting for the deliciously fresh donuts.

See, I told you it was raining. But it didn't stop us from doing all these awesome things.

Haha, Mr. rabbit teeth!

Next stop? Another food spot!
I mean, since we're in Philly, gotta have some cheesesteak!

Definitely waste no time. We went to Geno's. Between Pat's and Geno's I like Geno's better. We could've went to Pat's too but someone was complaining she's too full and she's going to explode soon *ahem*Susan*ahem*

After all this food coma. We headed back to the hotel to rest a bit and get ready for the night.

I wanted to try out Cuba Libre because of Happy Hour they have there. Only thing was, HH happens only at the bar. Not complaining since standing would be a better idea if we're drinking.

We didn't order much to eat, but what J and I ordered were pretty good. The best would be the pork belly on the top right. We focused more on drinking, they have pretty good white sangrias here.

The night ended with us back at the hotel again. Drinking more wine and watching Say Yes to the Dress...happy times.

Forever Lusting

There has been a lot of things/items I've been wanting since I literally lost everything. I lust once in a blue moon and that lust just starts spreading to a lot of things. I just can't keep up with the fashion world and truthfully, sometimes I just really suck at finding good deals.

 

The Valentino 'Rockstud' T-Strap Pump have been on my list ever since I saw it. Seeing the shoe being worn by other bloggers makes me that more jealous. It retails for about $945, that's quite the price. I really like how classic it looks, especially in nude or as they call it Poudre. The simplistic color and height along with the studs makes it a girl next door meets rocker chick.

The fact that it's about $1k for a pair of shoes, I just can't justify that. Maybe if I won the lottery but I can't dish out that amount of money like other bloggers and fashion gurus do. Makes me wonder sometimes how they can afford it...

When it came to these Michael Kors watches, I was torn. MK has a lot of nice rose gold watches and what became my dilemma was, if it should be blinged or not. I haven't worn a watch in the past 10+ years and it would be nice to be back onto the bandwagon. It's stylist and I don't have to always take out my phone to look at the time.

The one on the left, Michael Kors Mini-Size Blair Multi-Function Glitz Watch retailing at $250 had that extra bling on it. What I thought was weird was the backdrop on the watch in the same color all around. Plus, the dials are numbered which I'm not a crazy fan of. But, I really do like that bling. The size is 33mm is a perfect size for a petite wrist. Plus if you're having all that bling there, you would want to have the size a bit smaller so it's not overly done.

The right watch, Michael Kors Mid-Size Rose Golden Stainless Steel Camille Chronograph Watch retails for the same price as the other one, $250. The difference is no bling, bigger size of 43mm, and the backdrop is white with roman numerals for the dials. I'm actually digging this more but the size is quite large, I might think otherwise if I try it in person. I'm really holding back because $250 for a watch is quite expensive but I also know for a fact that it will probably last a really long time.

This item will always be on my list. The first time I saw this bag (which was a good 3-4 years ago) I instantly fell in love with it. It looks classic yet elegant, could be worn to any event or even anywhere. It's just so versatile. The Balenciago Classic City Bag retails for $1,545, putting it as the most expensive on my list. I really can't find a good enough reason to spend that amount of money on a bag. Maybe when I make 6-figure income but even until then I might old and wrinkly haha...

These things will most likely have to wait for a long while since I have something else on my agenda that requires spending. My sin for gluttony is also a downside since I spend on that also, you can see the ridiculous amount of food on my other blog. As for now, these items and many more (they change every so often but these had been stickin' in my noggin for a while) will have to wait and just linger in my mind.